Lip Balm
by loveandcandles
Summary: Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley are alone in the Gryffindor Common Room. Romantic fire, squashy sofas and the sweet taste of lip balm.


Torture. That is exactly what this was – torture. Ron Weasley sat in the common room of Gryffindor Tower, late at night, willing himself to actually attempt Snape's essay on antidotes. Snape had always had it in for him, but asking for _three_ rolls of parchment on the history of antidotes was the final straw. Plus, it was due in tomorrow. Ok, fair enough he'd had two weeks to complete it, but that wasn't the point now was it?

Time ticked by sluggishly. People started wandering up to their dormitories, stifling yawns and whispering 'goodnight' to each other. Soon it was just him in the common room, save for Hermione Granger, who sat at a table in the corner reading _Hogwarts: A History_ for the millionth time. Merlin, she sure is beautiful, Ron thought, openly gazing at her. Hermione wasn't oblivious to Ron's stare, but she wasn't entirely sure what to make of it.

"Have you finished your essay, Ron?" said Hermione breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"Huh?" Ron mumbled, blinking rapidly "Oh, er, no actually. Probably should have done it earlier, eh?"

Well, that was a surprise! Ron Weasley admitting that he should have finished his homework earlier.

Hermione got up from her work station and walked over to the big squashy red sofa, next to Ron's armchair. Out of her pocket she took a small tin of lip balm. Ron could smell the sweet scent from the tin, from her. God, she is so beautiful. With slow movements, she unscrewed the lid and gathered the balm on her finger. Then, she carefully smeared it on her pink lips. Now _this_ was real torture. He watched with admiration, lust and want as she repeatedly stroked her lips, rubbing in the sweetly scented balm.

"Mmm... I love this flavour," she thought aloud, "so sweet." Ron moved from his armchair to the sofa, flopping down on the cushions, never tearing his eyes about from her luscious lips. Hermione wasn't fazed by Ron's sudden change of seating arrangements. In truth, she was happy that he was closer. She could feel his warmth radiating off him, smell his musky, boyish, homely Ron scent.

"Definitely my favourite flavour." Hermione repeated, looking into Ron's deep blue eyes.

Despite wanting to kiss her pink, moist lips, Ron couldn't help yawning – he'd had Quidditch practice and he was knackered. But, he wanted to stay at talk to Hermione, or maybe more...

"I think we should go to bed, Ron." Hermione said innocently. Then, she froze realising what she had just said to him. To Ron, the boy that she loves, yet he doesn't know. She had basically said to him "Hey Ron, let's go upstairs and get it on!"

"Well, I wouldn't say no to that Miss Granger" Ron smirked, playing along.

Realising the lightened mood, Hermione added to the joke, "Ah it would be fun, however, we both have to be up early."

"I don't." Ron smiled, leaning closer to her, closing the distance between them. "I have two free periods after breakfast."

Merlin, her lip balm smelled so nice, so fruity.

"What flavour is your lip balm?" he asked, unable to hide his fascination for that enticing glow on her lips.

Her breath quickened as she subconsciously leaned closer to Ron, instinctively licking her lips, tasting the fruitiness.

"I...I'm not sure...I think it's..." Words were becoming difficult, due to the fact that they were merely inches apart, with no one around.

Ron suddenly had a wicked, yet genius idea. His blue eyes deepened as he developed his plan.

"Mind if I try some?" he said innocently, gesturing to himself.

"Sure, I guess. Here." Hermione offered him the tin, but instead of taking it, he reached up to her face. With gentle pace, he gradually approached her lips with his own, anticipating the event to come. With a feather-light touch, he carefully pressed his lips to hers, tasting the sweet lip balm as well as her. As he pulled away, he stared into her eyes. Her big, chocolate brown eyes stared back, full of happiness and innocence.

Ron had kissed me, she thought. Ron had actually kissed me! Hermione didn't know what to say. She wanted to confess her true feelings for him and wanted to kiss him again. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and never leave his lips. However, all she said was "So, what do you think it tastes like?"

Wow, nice going there Hermione.

"I'm not sure." Ron said, licking his lips. "It tasted quite fruity, but I don't know what fruit." He looked back at her again, noticing how her chest was rising and falling with ragged breath. Her top two buttons were undone and Ron could almost see the glimpse of her creamy white skin.

"Do you know what? I think I'm going to have to try your lip balm again. I just can't decide on the flavour." He smiled wickedly, and Hermione grinned as she knew what was coming.

"Grape? No." He said, and then kissed her again. "Strawberry maybe? Nope." Then another kiss and another and another, until Ron was thinking of every fruit in the world, trying to mirror the sweet taste of her lips. After a few minutes, Ron pulled away, leaving a shocked Hermione gasping for air. "Well, I give up. I have absolutely no idea what the taste of your lip balm is."

"Well, I thank you for trying to determine the flavour." Hermione smiled. "It was most enjoyable. However, you could have just looked at the tin. See," she said, holding out the tin, "Blackberry, raspberry and cherry."

"Well, it has missed one very important flavour." he said taking her face in her hands again. "The sweetest flavour that there is in the world."

"And what might that flavour be?" Hermione asked as she slowly closed her eyes, leaning into to Ron's lips. With one single breath, Ron whispered that heavenly word as he pressed his lips to hers once more.

"You."


End file.
